Big Buoy FAQ

Answers to the most common questions about Big Buoy.

General

Is Big Buoy free?
Yes — completely free. Search any location, check tides, solunar, live buoy data, and the wind overlay on the map. Big Buoy Pro adds the Wind Tab, the Depth Chart, chlorophyll overlays, sea surface temperature maps, ocean currents, and 16-day forecasts for anglers who want more.
Do I need to create an account?
A free account lets you save spots across devices and opt into the Monday morning fishing briefing email. Account creation takes about ten seconds and never asks for a credit card.
Is there a mobile app?
Yes — Big Buoy is live as a native app on both the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). The web app also runs in any browser on every device — no download required.

Data & Coverage

How often is the data updated?
Buoy conditions update every 10 minutes from NOAA NDBC. Weather and wind data comes from the commercial Open-Meteo API — no rate limits, always available.
What areas are covered?
882 NOAA buoys and 3,400+ tide-prediction stations across the continental US — East Coast, Gulf Coast, Great Lakes, and West Coast. Coverage expands as NOAA brings new stations online.
What happens when a buoy doesn't report water temperature?
Big Buoy falls back to forecast data from the Open-Meteo marine API. Forecast values are shown with a dashed indicator so you can tell the difference from a live buoy reading.

Features

What is solunar data?
Solunar theory predicts peak fish activity based on the position of the sun and moon. Big Buoy shows daily major and minor windows for your exact location, paired with tide data so you see the full picture.
How do saved spots work?
Tap any location on the map and press Save Spot. Spots sync across devices when you create a free account, and show full swell data — primary swell, wind waves, direction, and period. Pin favorites to keep them at the top of your list.
What is the Monday morning email?
A weekly rundown of your best days to fish — solunar windows, tide ranges, and wind for your saved spots. Opt in from your account settings, or create a free account to get started.

Big Buoy Pro

What's included in Pro?
The Wind Tab, the Depth Chart, chlorophyll overlays, sea surface temperature maps, ocean current overlays, 16-day wind and weather forecasts, and forecast model switching across GFS, HRRR, ECMWF, GEM, and ICON (free accounts use Best Match).
Is wind free or Pro?
Both, depending on how deep you go. The wind overlay on the map is free, and so is the wind chart on every location. The Wind Tab is Pro — that is where you set your own fishable and blown-out thresholds, see every hour called against them 16 days out, read the DEVIATION score showing how far the forecast models disagree, and compare the live buoy reading against what the model predicted for that same hour.
How do I get Pro access?
Tap Upgrade in the menu (or open the Pricing page) to see everything Pro includes. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial on either plan; subscribe monthly or annually and cancel anytime.
How much does Pro cost?
Pro is $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr (33% off the monthly rate). New subscribers get 7 days free before the first charge; returning subscribers are charged when they subscribe. Cancel anytime. Tap Upgrade in the menu or open the Pricing page for the full breakdown.
When am I charged for the free trial?
You add a card when you start the trial, but nothing is charged for 7 days. When the trial ends, your card is charged for the plan you picked — $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr, see the Pricing page for everything included — and the subscription continues until you cancel. We email you a reminder before the trial ends. Cancel before day 7 and you pay nothing.
How do I cancel my trial?
Go to Account → Manage Subscription and cancel — it takes about ten seconds. If you started your trial in the iOS or Android app, cancel through your App Store or Google Play subscription settings instead. Cancel any time before the trial ends and you keep Pro for the rest of the 7 days and are never charged.
Why don't I see a free trial?
The trial is for anyone who hasn't subscribed before. If you've had a Big Buoy Pro subscription or trial in the past — on the web or through the App Store or Google Play — checkout charges normally, with no trial. Founding members from the Pro Beta do get the trial: 7 days free, then your founding price, applied automatically at checkout.
What happens if my card is declined when the trial ends?
Pro access pauses at the end of the trial until a payment goes through. You'll see a notice in the app — update your card from Account → Manage Subscription and access comes right back. If you subscribed through the App Store or Google Play, update your payment method in that store instead.
Does Pro work on both the website and the app?
Yes — one subscription covers both. Subscribe on the website or in the iOS/Android app, then sign in with the same Big Buoy account anywhere: Pro unlocks on the web and in the app, no second purchase. See the Pricing page for everything included.

Privacy

Do you track me or sell my data?
We don't sell your data for money, and we never give your saved spots to advertisers or analytics providers — though ads and ad measurement may count as "sharing" under California law. On the website we use Google Analytics for traffic metrics, Meta's pixel to measure and retarget our own Meta and Instagram ads, and Google AdSense, which shows ads to free-tier visitors and may personalize them from your activity on other sites. You can turn that off in Google's Ads Settings, or send Global Privacy Control and we ask Google for non-personalized ads. The apps use Firebase Analytics (iPhone versions before 1.6 and Android versions before 1.6.1 also load Google Analytics), and the Android app uses Meta's SDK to measure our own Meta and Instagram ads, with your advertising ID unless you delete it in your phone's settings; starting with version 1.6, the iPhone app does not include Meta's SDK. From app version 1.7, the free tier of the apps shows Google AdMob ads, only in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and non-personalized in Canada: on iPhone, outside Canada, the app asks once whether to allow tracking, and ads show either way; on Android you can delete your advertising ID in your phone's settings. Earlier app versions may show ads we sell and serve ourselves, with no advertising identifiers. Global Privacy Control is a browser signal, so it does not reach the apps. Pro subscribers see no ads when signed in. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Why no cookie banner for US visitors?
US privacy laws work on an opt-out basis rather than up-front consent, so US visitors don't see a banner. We do use cookies and similar browser storage — for sign-in, Google Analytics, Meta's pixel, and Google AdSense ads — and you can opt out of personalized Google ads in Google's Ads Settings. EU and UK visitors get a consent banner and are never shown ads. See our Privacy Policy for details.